The following references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be and are not to be construed as statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the following prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by a person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.
The softboard category of surfboards is gaining in popularity because it can assist learners and may be used in some general swimming areas from which traditional surfboards are often banned. A softboard will generally have a core of foam (e.g., polyurethane, EVA, EPS), sometimes multi-layered, and an outer skin of polyethylene, for example, on the deck and rails, giving a softer surface for skin contact and helping to avoid contact injuries.
Generally, it is desirable for a softboard to have a fin or fins that are made of softer material than those for traditional surfboards. Some softboard fins are made of polyvinylchloride (PVC) or thermo plastic polyurethane (TPU) and generally are made in a single piece including the fin blade and a fixing tab at the fin's base. The fin blade and the fixing tab, so integrally formed, are made from the same resilient and relatively soft material. More traditional surfboards are typically made of fibreglass/foam laminate and the fin fixing elements may typically comprise a pair of counter sunk bosses sitting flush with the deck of the board. The fin base may have tabs adapted to be received in corresponding slots in the bosses and the fin is secured in place by a screw or screws. In contrast, because the core of a softboard is relatively soft, it cannot withstand pulling forces. As a consequence, a fin system for a softboard must go from one side of the board through to the other and be attached using broad-headed polyamide screws with the screw heads sitting on or flush with the deck of the board.
To date, traditional softboard fins have been very hard to install. This is problematical for retailers. Softboards are transported from the manufacturer with the fins and screws detached from the boards to minimise transport volumes and, in most situations, the retailer is expected to attach the fins before sale and delivery of the softboard to the customer. As described above, the fin and the tab unit that holds the fin in the holes in the slick (underside) of the softboard is typically all in one piece. The traditional fins have two threaded holes or bosses that receive nylon screws that screw in from the deck (top board surface) are located in the bosses. Installation can take up to an hour; if the screws, fin-holes and bosses are not lined up properly and/or the wrong length of screws are used further delays can be the outcome. This can result in a very frustrating time and an imperfect fit in which loose fins are not tightly secured to the board resulting in undesirable play therewith on the underside of the softboard. This can be a serious problem because of the damage that may be caused to the softboard. Moreover, it is desirable to minimize water resistance in this section of the board.
Removal of fins from softboards, once installed, is even more difficult. Often, the nylon screws are cross threaded during installation and need to be cut out. Such problems in installation and removal have meant that fin damage may result in the need to replace the softboard itself. Moreover, replacement of fins with a superior model on an existing board to improve performance or to adapt to particular surf conditions is problematic for the above reasons and is discouraged.
Accordingly, this invention is an advance on unitary fin and base constructions, which are generally manufactured in a non-rigid material having the same sort of hardiness as, for example, skateboard wheels. Prior art fins may be fixed to a softboard by means of two large headed screws, typically made of nylon, which pass through holes in the board and tighten in protruding bosses on the underside of the fin and base moulding. The resilient nature of the fin material means that the fixing screws can fix firmly in the bosses regardless of the depth of engagement, without undue pressure having to be applied to the soft deck surface and ensuring the screws will not come loose because of the lock fit arrangement.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a fin attachment, box, set, module and/or system that may overcome or ameliorate the above shortcomings, or which will at least provide a useful alternative.